Legion advance at Tobruk 7/8/1941

[robot]

Tobruk Libya
July 8 1941
1700 Hours

The legion is to move against the italians at Tobruk. Not going to be an easy one today.
There is a raging sandstorm today and movement will be slow and painful. Also vis is only 250 yards. Its going to be an in your face type of fight. When we appear out of the sandstorm there will only be seconds to get your first shot off. Should maybe make them kind of gun shy and maybe make them fire prematurly.

B CO will be moving on the north flank while our more veteran A CO will have the center. Which we feel will be the toughest spot today. C will be moving on the south flank where we hope will be slow. As this co has the greenest combat troops. As moving across the open ground is going to be the slowest process and will take for ever just to move across no mans land. I have put all our tanks on the only road that runs west to east. This should make it possible for them to get to the rear of the enemy the quickest.

We will have no artty support from HQ today as they said they could not spare the Batterys today. All we will have are the company 81 morters and the CO HQ 120mm morters. Hoping this will keep the Italians off our men as they push forward. We have at least 500 yrds to move forward before we will make contact with the enemy. This will more then likely take at least 50 minutes moving over this ground.

HQ: VII Legioneers
Col: Henri DuBois Commanding

[robot]

Tobruk Libya
July 8 1941
1800 Hours

The slow speed has not seemed to hurt us as the Italians came to us. They must have made better time then us as they reached the objectives way before we did. Actually I think they were surprised to see we made as good a time as we did. They came with a large amount of tanks this time. I believe we have already taken out at least 50 of there tanks along with a 1000 men. Our troops are taking out there infantry with shots in the 250 yard range consistently.

Our lines are starting to getr big gaping holes in them. Due to the fact of some very high suppresion and then the troops not being able to catch back up with the line once our non coms get them moving again.

We are inflicting 10 to 1 losses on them for men and 3 to 1 for our armor. I dont really see how this can continue on like this. have taken the north and middle objectives already and one of the flags for the southern flank. Do not see how we can take the rear one as it is still too far in there rear. The only way i can see us taking it is to race our tanks hell bent to leather to the rear. And as you know that causes some serious damage to your armor most of the time.

More then likely will just continue to plow forward with all three companys hunting and taking out what we encounter along our way. If we take it fine if we dont that will have to be fine too. Our losses are minimal right now and I plan to keep it like that if at all possible.

Right now I have to get over to our left flank and see what has to be done about 2 or 3 tanks that have penetrated our lines. I belive once these few tanks are taken care of we will have next to no resistence from the enemy. The battle for all attempts by the enemy is ours. Once again Tobruk is safe thanx to the efforts of our brave Legioneers. Viva La France Viva La de Gaul.

HQ: VII Legioneers
Col: Henri DuBois Commanding

[robot]

Tobruk Libya
July 8 1941
1855 Hours.

We have beat them and done it rather easily I might say. Lost a heck of a lot of men tho. Way more then I thought we would lose. 248 brave Frenchmen lost there life today for our country. But they took 1851 of the Italians with them. We also had 15 tanks blown out from under our boys. While we were ripping 79 of there tanks to holy smithereens.
They also lost 5 trucks and 14 of those blasted morters thay seem to have so many of.

We took all the objectives we were supposed to. Managed to make them think twice about moving on Tobruk again in the near future.

Next month we are to move all the way over to Halfaya and set up a defensive line there. Not sure yet if we will be facing the Germans or the Italians again. This battle went on for 1 hour and 55 minutes. Didnt need to last that long just took us so dam long to get any where due too the hellish sandstorm that went on the whole battle.

We will rest and rehab here before moving over into Egypt. Our repalcements will be here in plenty of time as well as all repairs finished before we move out.

HQ: VII Legioneers
Col: Henri DuBois Commanding